MAN CHARGED WITH POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY ARRESTED AFTER FLEEING COUNTY

Brian Pruitt

Murphy, NC— Brian James Pruitt, a 42-year-old Andrews North Carolina man was returned to Cherokee County after fleeing to Florida while out on bond. Pruitt was arrested in January 2010 when a joint investigation by the Andrews Police Department and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Pruitt had downloaded and possessed several images of child pornography.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, in its continuing effort to combat child exploitation, partnered with the United States Marshal’s Service who provided invaluable assistance in locating Pruitt in Florida. Once arrested by Florida law enforcement Pruitt waived his extradition hearing and was transported by to Cherokee County to face his original charges of Third Degree Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is a member of the North Carolina Internet Crimes Against Children (NCICAC) Task Force. The ICAC Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local enforcement agents. The purpose of the ICAC task force is to investigate complaints of child exploitation. For more information on the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office visit http://www.cherokeecounty-nc.gov/departments/ccso/, or follow on www.blogspot.com/ccsonc.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Pruitt is currently in the Cherokee County Detention Facility under a $25,000.00 bond.

PRESCRIPTION DRUG FRAUD ARREST

Ralph Edward Dailey Jr

Murphy, NC – Ralph Edward Dailey, 32 years old, male of Andrews North Carolina was arrested on Friday on a true bill of indictment issued by a Cherokee County Grand Jury for Attempt to Obtain Controlled Substance by Fraud, Conspiracy to traffic in opiates, Felony Forgery and Felony Uttering. A Cherokee County Grand Jury handed down the indictment on Dailey in September of 2010 however Daily was not apprehended until this past Friday.

The incident occurred on April 8, 2010 when Daily altered a legitimate prescription in an attempt to obtain methadone tablets with a weight of 9.67 grams from a local Andrews Pharmacy. The case was investigated by the Multiple Agency Narcotics Unit and presented to a Cherokee County Grand Jury in September of 2010. As of Monday Daily had been released from the Cherokee County Detention Center on bond with a Court Date in March.

LOCAL MEN CHARGED FOR STEALING BLEACHERS FROM SOCCER LEAGUE



Nathan Mclean



Murphy, NC – On 02/07/2011 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a report that five spectator style bleachers had been stolen from the soccer field located behind the old Coats America Plant in Marble NC. The field is used by the Cherokee County Youth Soccer League. Detectives were able to develop leads and learned that the bleachers had been taken apart in the field and the aluminum seats taken. The seats were later discovered at a local metal recycling dealer.

       

On 02/10/2011 Nathan Wayne Mclean a 22 year old Marble North Carolina man was arrested and charged with Felony Larceny and Felony Possession of Stolen Goods. Mclean was booked into the Cherokee County Jail and is currently being held under a $3,500.00 secured bond.

Also charged in the incident is Douglas D Taylor a 47 year old Hamilton County Tennessee man on warrants for Felony Larceny and Felony Possession of Stolen Goods. Taylor remains at large.

CHEROKEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE OUT ARRESTING DELIQUENT CHILD SUPPORT ABSCONDERS

Sean Lecoq

Dougless Burnette

Sean Christensen

Murphy, NC— During the second week of February 2011 the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office was busy out rounding up folks who are delinquent on their child support obligations. The effort netted three individuals who owed in excess of $25,000.00 in back support.

Arrested were: Sean Christensen, a 46 year old Marble man, Douglas Jemar Burnette, a 30 year old Ft Lauderdale Florida man, and Sean Lecoq a 32 year old Cherokee NC man.

All three individuals are being held in the Cherokee County Detention Facility until they purge their respective amounts or appear before court.   

CHEROKEE COUNTY MEN ARRESTED FOR BREAKING INTO MARINE CORP LEAGUE

Travis Lee

Stacy Dills

             Murphy, NC— During the first week of February, 2011, Cherokee County Detectives developed information indicating that a storage building occupied by the Marine Corp League Det. 1011 located at 4955 Airport had been broken into. Information obtained by detectives indicate the building was broken into in January and several tools were taken from within.

On the date of discovery detectives developed leads that led to the recovery of several items including power tools from a residence in Andrews. Stacy Joe Dills 37 years old, and Travis Heathe Lee 25 years old, both who listed Andrews North Carolina as their residence were charged with Felonious Breaking and Entering and Felonious Larceny After Breaking and Entering. Dills was arrested on 02/05/2011 and given a $5,000.00 secured bond which he made the same date. Lee who was in custody on similar charges was served with the new charges and remains in custody and awaiting an initial appearance in court.

MAN BACK IN JAIL AFTER VIOLATING CONDITIONS OF RELEASE

Murphy, NC— John Pate, a 36 year old Murphy man who now lists a Kindards South Carolina address was placed back in jail after a hearing in District Court on February 02, 2011.

Pate, originally arrested in October of 2010 on charges of sexually assaulting a child and producing child pornography appeared in District Court on February 02, 2011. At the time of his release instructions that Pate was not to have any contact with the victim or the victim’s family were placed as a condition of Pate’s release from custody. During a hearing in District Court on Wednesday February 02, 2011 information was presented to Judge Walker who found evidence that Pate had violated the conditions of contacting the family of the victim. Judge Walker ordered Pate to be confined on an additional $30,000.00 bond making the bond total $50,000.00. Additionally conditions remain on Pate that he is to have no contact with the victim or the victim’s family.

Pate posted a secure bond the following day and is out on bail pending a court date later in February 2011.

CHEROKEE COUNTY COUPLE ARRESTED ON DRUG CHARGES

Timothy Myers

Carolyn Ledford

Murphy, NC— Timothy Gene Myers a 36 year old Murphy North Carolina man and Carolyn R Ledford a 27 year old Murphy North Carolina woman were arrested by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on January 31, 2011.

The arrest of Myers and Ledford was brought about following a traffic stop and subsequent vehicle search initiated by Deputy Jeremy Payne of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. During the search of the vehicle evidence of possession of trafficking level amounts of narcotics was discovered. The investigation continues.

Both Myers and Ledford remain in the Cherokee County Detention Center